White center (Seattle, Burien: real estate, apartments, crime)

[Seattle4321]

How do you guys think white center will become in the next few years? Will there be more apartments, do you think it'll be more hip? Is crime there really bad or not really? Tell me what you guys think thanks!

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by Seattle4321

How do you guys think white center will become in the next few years? Will there be more apartments, do you think it'll be more hip? Is crime there really bad or not really? Tell me what you guys think thanks!

White Center used to be really bad. Crime has improved, but hasn't completely disappeared. But the "downtown" White Center area is fun. Has some great places to eat and drink. Zippy's Burgers, Proletariat Pizza, and some great Mexican places. Big Al's Brewery. There's a lot to like about White Center, but it's a whole different world than the eastside, or north Seattle. It's not like it's totally cleaned up. Some of it's still run down. But it's a unique and kind of delightful neighborhood, and continuing to improve.

[homesinseattle]

Delicious authentic Khmer Cambodian food in White Center. If you have never tried it, it is delicious. Queen. Here is a neat article about some surprisingly good other ethnic restaurant choices in that area: Where to Eat in White Center - The GastroGnome.

So, what do I think of White Center. It is a little rough around the edges and some places you might want to avoid at certain times of the day. That being said, it seems like so many places with character are getting whitewashed and corporatized. White Center is real, I think in a really neat way.

[pete98146]

I live in Arbor Heights which is very close to White Center. I personally think this area will explode in the next few years. Many young couples are now being priced out of West Seattle as real estate prices go thru the roof so White Center will grow because it's still an area with reasonably priced homes.

[IDASpaceman]

^ I'm with Pete...would seem to me things are getting better, not Utopia...but getting better every day.

[Hemlock140]

White Center in the 90s was often the punch line for jokes, and made fun of even in the media. I would agree with Ira, Pete and IDA, it's improved and even become a destination for good eats. I would expect the gentrification to continue spreading south to White Center in the future, now might be a good time to get in.

[GatsbyGatz]

I personally have never visited White Center, but isn't it the epicenter of some major redevelopments? I've met the attorney who's primary project was to redesign White Center and from what I gleaned it seemed like the project was already underway if not completed. Anyone want to give me some insight on this?

[RustinginSeattle]

White center is at the line that divides the city of Seattle from the county. Unfortunately, the bad guys running from the law know that and head there to jump back and forth over the lines to allude the police. Just a little something that holds that area back, like the airport does to Burien.

Also, the schools aren't very good, so that stops many families from moving there. My best friend lives in Burien (where we grew up) and has sent her kids to private school. It turns out that it was cheaper for me to spend more on a house in Ballard and send my kids to the public schools.

White Center was actually a better area when I was a kid, than it is now, so it's not exactly making progress.

Maybe if the art crowd would move in and invest in the area...

[sean98125]

Seattle's most ironically named neighborhood.

[peequi]

Originally Posted by sean98125

Seattle's most ironically named neighborhood.

LOL yeah I never noticed this.

White Center has improved but lets be honest, it will always be one of the cheaper neighborhoods in Seattle. I do predict more dense development and overall updating of the neighborhood. It will never be "hip".